18 DRIVING AS I FOUND Yt. 



has no right to break their necks. It is singular enough 

 that, though hundreds of men who ride on horseback, 

 willingly allow that they are very indifferent horse- 

 men, but you will rarely find a man who drives even 

 ft buggy who does not conceive he does it as well as it 

 can be done, or who for one moment thinks he is in 

 clanger through his ignorance. No doubt there is no 

 great exertion or art required to sit in a buggy, hold 

 the reins and guide a steady horse the way you wish 

 him to go, but even in this humble attempt at coach- 

 manship the way it is many times done would, to a 

 practised eye, at once show that, while one man is capa- 

 ble of greater things, another was not capable of doing 

 well the little he did attempt. It is true a man may 

 drive one horse well, but this does not prove him to be 

 a good pair-horse coachman. In the same way many 

 may also drive a paii' well but be quite astray with 

 four. But whether with one horse, a pair, a unicorn, 

 or regular team before him, the coachman is to be de- 

 tected at once. His manner of taking up his reins and 

 seating himself will be quite sufficient proof. Coolness, 

 light hands and good temper are the essential qualities 

 requisite to make a good coachman. These are much 

 more necessary in a coachman than in a horseman 

 if for nothing but for the sake of others. An irritated 

 horse bolts off with his rider or throws him, or both, 



